Charles matson



(No Model.)

0. MATSON.

FIRE ESCAPE.

No. 368,220. Patented Aug. 16, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFicE.

CHARLES MATSON, OF RUSSELL, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ON EIIAL'F TO HENRY M. IIOLOOMB, OF SAME PLACE.

FlRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 368,220, dated August 16, 1887.

Application filed May 23, 1987. Serial No. 239,139.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES hIATSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Russell, in the county of Russell and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in fire-escapes; andit consists in the construction and arrangement of the parts of same, which will be more fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claim.

The object of my invention is to provide a fire-escape by means of which an escape may be readily made from a burning building without incurring the danger of injury by a descent from said building. I attain this object by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like letters of refi'erence indicate similar parts in the several views, and in which Figure 1 is an interior front view ofa win- (low with my improved lire-escape shown in connection therewith. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a house, showing the fire-escape ap plied. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the same.

A indicates a window and frame, to the inner side of which suitable hooks, a (t, are socured.

B indicates a box situated immediately below the window A, and is adapted for storing the escape when not in use.

The escape consists, essentially, of a canvas slide, C, having a covering, 0', extending partially over the length of said slide. The cover 0 is secured to the slide 0 at the edges thereof, and covers the said slide all the way down to within a short distance of the lower end thereof. The upper end of the slide 0 is secured in the box 13 by means of two rods, BB'fl secured thereto and to the said box. This double connection is provided for tllcpurpose of preventing an entire disconnection of the said escape from connection with the window in case one or the other of the connections B 13* should give way and a probable loss of life ensue. The upper end of the covering O is free from the slide G adjacent to the window, and is adapted to be secured to the hooks a a by means of a rod, C", secured to the upper end of the cover 0. Thus it will be seen that it will be impossible for any (No model.)

one to miss the position of the escape, as it would cover the entire window and present the mouth of the chute as formed by the slide 0 and cover 0 for entrance by the person escaping. To the lower ends of the slide 0 a series of .ropes or cords, c, c, and c", are arranged, the rope a being connected to the escape at the point where the cover 0 ends, the rope I) is secured at a point about midway between the eonnecting-point of the rope c and the end of the eseapeslide G, and the rope c is secured to each side of the slide (1 at the ends thereof, said latter rope being the side stays of the slide 0.

The ropes are held by any one, and are so raised and seen red or held by the hands as to bring the slide (3 in a proper taut position. The person escaping thercthrough will throw himself into the mouth of the escape adjacent to the window, and slide down the inclined slide 0 under the cover 0' for a portion of the distance, which prevents giddincss, and is rescued at the lower end, which is provided with the ropes, as above described, and which is uncovered, for the purpose of more carefully protecting the person escaping in his approach to the ground.

The novelty and utility of my improved fire-escape being obviously apparent, it is unnecessary to further enlarge upon the same herein.

I am aware that chutes have been heretofore used for affording means for thcescape of persons from burning buildings, the varied constructionsof each of which have their peculiar form of attachment, and such chutes and means of attachment I do not broadly claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a fire-escape, the combination of the slide 0, the cover 0, extending over said slide a portion of its lengtlnthe box B, the two rods B and B", the rod U, the hooks a c, and the ropes c 0 0 substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES MATSON.

\Vitnesses:

E. \V. VooRnIs, G. H. J OIINSON. 

